Candied Hawthorn Pact

Little Girl stood on tiptoe, craning her neck to watch the puppet show.

All of a sudden, someone smacked her on the head.

"Ow!"

"Who's the blind one here?!"

Little Girl cursed, then turned around. She saw Verdant Green Maiden standing beside her, having plucked one of the two remaining candied hawthorns from the stick. As she ate it, she turned and greeted her.

"What a coincidence!"

"Little Girl."

"..."

Little Girl's eyes widened as she stared at Verdant Green Maiden in astonishment.

When she saw her take her candied hawthorn, she was immediately startled.

"Hey!"

"Madam, what kind of person are you? You're snatching my candied hawthorn to eat?"

"Shh—!!!"

"Keep it down. Don't let anyone hear and think I'm bullying you."

Verdant Green Maiden looked at Little Girl with a solemn expression.

Little Girl glared at her, lips pursed, and said, "I saved this candied hawthorn for myself to eat. Madam, how could you eat it...?"

"It's not as if I won't pay you."

Verdant Green Maiden muttered.

She handed Little Girl a silver ingot.

"Take it!"

That silver ingot again?

Little Girl blinked, looking at her strangely.

"Madam, do you have so much money it's making you panic?"

"Why do you insist on giving me such a large sum? I don't have enough money to make change!"

"No need for change."

Verdant Green Maiden shook her head.

Little Girl shook her head even more firmly. "How could that do?"

Seeing that she was about to continue, Verdant Green Maiden pointed ahead. "Ah! The puppet show is about to begin. If you're not watching, then don't talk either. You're disturbing us watching the show."

At those words, Little Girl immediately shut her mouth and rose onto her tiptoes to peer inside.

But heads bobbed like a surging sea,